A recently proposed Texas voting law has similarities and stark contrasts to one that Rhode Island enacted more than 10 years ago.

Senate Bill 1, if passed, will require a state ID or a Social Security number to be entered on all mail-in ballots.

Russell Berman wrote a commentary for the Atlantic, noting that when Rhode Island passed its voting law, which requires two witnesses when submitting an absentee ballot, it was done so with the backing of “powerful black elected leaders.” 

The state does require two witnesses when submitting an absentee ballot.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that Texas is one of 36 states requiring voters to show one of seven different forms of photo identification at election polls, including a Texas driver's license, Texas election identification certificate, Texas personal identification card, Texas handgun license, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate or a U.S. passport.

Voters who don’t have the above-mentioned criteria can request a "reasonable impediment declaration" and provide a qualified document without a photo.

Texas begins early voting 17 days before an election and ends early voting four days prior to the election, totaling 13 days of early voting. Rhode Island begins early voting 20 days before an election and ends the day before an election, allowing for 19 total days of early voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.